Simeone teases rotation against Rayo amid reflection on Atlético tenure

Madrid, Spain – Less than 48 hours after Atlético Madrid’s emphatic 4-0 Copa del Rey triumph over FC Barcelona, Diego Simeone faced the media on Saturday evening and hinted at changes for Sunday’s La Liga visit to Rayo Vallecano, while offering a rare glimpse into the emotions that have defined his more-than-a-decade-long stewardship of the club.

Asked to distil his feelings for Atlético into a single word, the Argentine paused. “Honestly, if you ask me for a word that sums up my feelings for this club, I can’t find one,” he said. “I am grateful, I am thankful every day for the place I have and for the affection I receive… but I don’t have a word that can sum up and explain the feeling I have.”

With thoughts already pivoting to the derby at Vallecas, Simeone acknowledged that selection headaches are mounting. “I’m thinking about Rayo, I have thousands of things going on in my head,” he admitted. “I’m not sure yet who will start tomorrow, but we have been working… with the players in an imaginary game. We will decide who starts.”

The coach stressed that form, not reputation, will dictate the lineup. “Nobody cares about that. What matters is the result… we will try to put out the players we think can best represent the team and play the way we want.”

Simeone offered brief updates on three newer faces: Obed Vargas, Rodrigo Mendoza and Lookman. “All three are in the same situation. They’ve come to help us, and we hope that little by little they’ll improve in training so that we can get more out of them in matches,” he said, adding that at least one of the trio could see minutes at Butarque.

The conversation closed with a reminder of Atlético’s depth demands. “We need everyone, and everyone means everyone. Whether it’s 60, 90, 40, 10 (minutes), whatever it takes, we need the team on the pitch and the group as a whole.”

Kick-off against Rayo Vallecano is scheduled for Sunday evening, with Simeone’s final XI expected to be revealed only when the teamsheets are handed in.